For the Thomas Fan Who Has Everything

Posted on May 16, 2012 by LizM

What do you buy for a little boy who is in love with Thomas and Friends but already seems to have every Thomas train toy he could ever need? Well, first of all, think beyond the toy train. Then, because Thomas and Friends appeals to a wide range of ages, think about age-appropriateness.

Some ideas:

1^st Birthday- For Thomas’s youngest fans, consider buying them their own Thomas pajamas.

2^nd Birthday- Since this is the year most children begin their potty training, consider buying a Thomas and Friends potty seat! I can guarantee it will make the process a little more enjoyable for any two-year-old.

3^rd Birthday- For a three-year-old, learning how to follow rules and take turns is an important part of making and keeping friends! To acquire these skills while having fun, the Thomas and Friends Birthday Surprise Game might be a good place to start!

4^th Birthday- What four-year-old doesn’t enjoy art projects? Buy this young Thomas fan a sticker or paint set!

5^th Birthday and beyond- If there’s one thing a child can never have enough of, it’s good books! For birthday parties for school-aged children, you can never go wrong with a few Thomas and Friends books.

No matter what their age, your little Thomas and Friends fan is sure to have the perfect gift waiting for them on their big day!

Share and Enjoy:

Yo Gabba Gabba! Has Star Power

Posted on May 14, 2012 by LizM

The children’s show Yo Gabba Gabba! is full of surprises, but one thing in particular keeps us watching again and again: an episode rarely passes without a visit from a celebrity guest. Now, young children may not understand the star power of their favorite show, but parents see it and it’s one of the parts we love best. As soon as the show turns on, we ask, “Who’s going to join the party today?”

There is a simple reason Yo Gabba Gabba! is so refreshing: it was not created by Network gurus. Rather, this show was created by two fathers with no prior television writing experience. They only knew the interests of their children and the void they felt for interesting, creative programming. Being musicians themselves, they caught onto the celebrity craze at the beginning, inviting guests as varied as Weird Al and the band Sugarland. The visitors appear in DJ Lance Rock’s fantasies to share stories, songs, or dances. Each time he turns on his magic boom box, the party starts!

The star power of Yo Gabba Gabba! is one of the things that keep parents watching, but parents aren’t the only ones who’ve taken notice. The show has continued to garnish attention and acclaim since its inception in 2007 and was awarded a Daytime Emmy award in 2008. And though the appearance of celebrity guests may keep us watching, they are not the ones with staying power. The cast of regular characters—DJ Lance Rock, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex—have made appearances on multiple television shows to date.

So, Yo Gabba Gabba! fans, keep your eyes peeled for not only your friends in the cast at Yo Gabba Gabba!, but also for their celebrity guests. You never know who you might see!

Share and Enjoy:

New Pixar Movies in the Works!

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Bethany

If you’re reading this blog, I know you or someone in your house is a huge fan of at least one animated cartoon series. And if that’s true, then I’m sure you’ll also be super excited about the three new Pixar movies that’ll be coming out soon. Pixar makes fantastic films that both kids and their parents can enjoy, so what’s not to love?

Brave is expected to be one of the biggest hits this summer (see preview below). It is scheduled for release on June 22. Brave features Princess Merida, a Katniss Everdeen-like girl with a bow, arrows, and Scottish accent to top it all off. This marks the first time that Pixar has created a female fronted movie. Let’s hope it stands the test of time as many other Disney/Pixar movies have not failed to deliver.

Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter shared that On May 30, 2014, Pixar will release The Good Dinosaur, a film about what life would be like if dinosaurs had not gone extinct. Wouldn’t that be nice? Noooo, I wouldn’t want Brontosaurus walking with me, even if he were friendly. This film will be directed by Bob Peterson, a longtime Pixar animator who has already won two Oscar nominations for co-writing Finding Nemo and Up. This sounds to me like it is along the lines of Dino Dan, so how can it fail to be fun?

The third film takes on a new spin for Pixar. It is tentatively titled Dia de los Muertos, a holiday which is translated to “Day of the Dead.” It is a new project that has been assigned to the director of Toy Story 3, Lee Unkrich, and is scheduled to release in 2015. Skulls and skeletons are a major part of the Mexican holiday decorations. They will definitely be featured in the films; however, no one knows yet if these skulls will actually be featured as characters or simply decorations.

Share and Enjoy:

See Super Why Live!

Posted on May 11, 2012 by LizM

Super Why! is finally joining the ranks of other popular children’s programs to bring us a live production as Super WHY Live: You’ve Got the Power! visits cities coast to coast this summer! This stage production is sure to please both child and parent. It is being produced by the same folks who brought us Yo Gabba Gabba Live! and will feature all our favorite characters. You can expect live music, as well as stage effects and stunts.

Super Why, Alpha Pig, Wonder Red, Princess Presto (together with Woofster) will be on stage. The scenarios will be similar to those we’ve come to expect from this preschool favorite. The characters, strengthened by their literary superpowers, will imagine themselves into brand new, interactive adventures. Your kids will have so much fun reading, singing, and dancing along, they’ll never know how much they’re learning!

There might not be a better chance to introduce your young child to the joys of live performance. Why not make this their first live show? VIP tickets and “Meet & Greet” packages are also available, so why stop at the live show? Your child could actually meet their favorite character! For more complete event information and to purchase tickets, visit www.superwhylive.com to give your preschooler the gift of an experience they’ll never forget.

(And don’t forget to wear your Super Why ! shirt to the show!)

Share and Enjoy:

Thinking Pink

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Bethany

Victoria Kann is an award winning author and illustrator of the recently popular children’s book, Pinkalicious. She has also written the books Goldilicious and Purplicious as well as Pinkalicious The Musical.

Victoria usually likes to work on her story first, and then her illustrations are added later. Other times, it is the reverse, and the story is inspired by the drawings.

She’s inspired by everyday items in her life, including items that lie around the house. She used wallpaper, pictures, fabric, or anything else that comes to mind. Other times she’s scavenging around the streets of New York, looking for items to place into her collage collection. Her artwork, which includes collages, mixed media, and computer illustrations, have been featured and even commissioned for greeting cards, magazines, newspapers, book covers, and the internet. Victoria is considered a master of collage work, and actually teaches Collage Illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

Victoria’s style has changed over the years. She started out as an editorial illustrator and produced artwork for magazine covers like BusinessWeek, Harper’s Magazine, and Newsweek, and often only had a few hours to come up with a concept, design, and finish. When she had children, she started to think more about illustrating children’s books.

I find Victoria very inspiring. Although it may seem like a simple task to create designs and collages from objects lying around your house, it is rewarding and stirs the creativity within you. Who knows what story or illustration lies within you, waiting to be exposed to the world?

Share and Enjoy:

Ty's Toy Box

Toy Licensing Industry News & Information

For the Thomas Fan Who Has Everything

Yo Gabba Gabba! Has Star Power

New Pixar Movies in the Works!

See Super Why Live!

Thinking Pink